Sour Orange Pie

You'll Need: 3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons granulated sugar 3 level tablespoons cornstarch 1 cup hot water 1 tablespoon butter 3 eggs, separated 1/3 cup sour orange juice 1 baked 9-inch pie shell Procedures :Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a saucepan, mix together the 3/4 cup sugar and cornstarch, and slowly pour in the hot water and butter, stirring to dissolve any lumps. Beat egg yolks lightly and add, along with the sour orange juice. Stir constantly over medium-low heat until the mixture has thickened and coats the spoon. Do not boil. Carefully pour the filling into the baked pie shell. For the meringue, beat the egg whites until frothy. Continue to beat, gradually adding the 3 tablespoons sugar, until the beater holds stiff peaks when lifted. Gently swirl the meringue over the filling, making sure it touches the edges of the crust all the way around. Bake until the meringue is brown. Remove from the oven and cool on a rack

Hawaiian Banana Cream Pie

You'll Need: 2 egg whites 1 cup chopped cashews or Macadamia nuts 1 (3 1/2 ounce) can flaked coconut 2 tablespoons brown sugar 3/4 cup granulated sugar 3 tablespoons cornstarch 3 egg yolks, beaten 1 1/2 cusp milk 1 tablespoon butter or margarine, melted 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 cup whipping cream, whipped 2 bananas, divided 1/2 cup finely chopped cashews or Macadamia nuts Procedures : Beat egg whites (at room temperature) until stiff peaks form. Combine the 1 cup cashews or Macadamia nuts, coconut and brown sugar; fold into egg whites. Spread mixture in bottom and on sides of a 9-inch pie pan, forming a shell. Bake at 375 degrees F for 7 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack. Combine sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan. Combine egg yolks and milk; slowly add to sugar mixture, stirring constantly until smooth. Add butter. Cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla extract. Cool. Fold whipped cream into cool custard. Slice 1 banana and line meringue shell with slices. Spoon custard over bananas. Cover with plastic wrap and chill 2 hours. Just before serving, sprinkle 1/2 cup cashews or Macadamia nuts around outer edge of pie. Slice remaining banana, and place slices around outer edge on nuts

Coconut Almond Cream Pie

You'll Need: 1 1/3 cups plus 1/2 cup flaked coconut 1 cup almonds, toasted and finely chopped 3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted 1 (14 ounce) can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk 4 egg yolks 1/2 cup water 1 teaspoon almond extract or 2 tablespoons almond-flavored liqueur 1 small box vanilla flavor pudding mix (not instant) 1 (8 ounce) container sour cream, at room temperature Whipping cream, whipped Procedures : Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Combine 1 1/3 cups coconut, chopped almonds and butter; press firmly on bottom and up side to rim of 9-inch pie plate to form crust. Bake 20 minutes. Cool. In heavy saucepan, beat sweetened condensed milk with egg yolks. Add water, extract and pudding mix; beat until well blended. Over medium heat, cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cool 15 minutes. Beat in sour cream. Stir in remaining 1/2 cup coconut. Pour into prepared crust; cover. Chill thoroughly. Top with whipped cream. Garnish as desired. Refrigerate leftovers

Bluegrass Pie

You'll Need: Pie Crust 1 1/2 cups flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, very cold 2 tablespoons solid shortening, very cold About 4 tablespoons ice water Procedures : Mix flour, salt and sugar. Cut butter into pieces. Cut in butter and shortening until mixture resembles flaky meal. Sprinkle in ice water. Work into a ball that cleans the sides of the mixing bowl. (To mix in a food processor, place dry ingredients in work bowl. Top with pieces of cold butter and shortening, and pulse until mealy. With machine running, pour in ice water all at once. When dough forms a ball that knocks around sides of the bowl, stop machine at once.) Flatten dough into a disk. Wrap with plastic wrap and chill 30 minutes (or freeze). Roll dough into a circle 3 to 4 inches wider than pie plate, set in the plate, and trim with scissors so dough extends 3/4 inch beyond the rim. Fold this overhand under so it is even with plate's rim and crimp into large flutes. Chill 30 minutes, while you prepare the filling. Filling 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup granulated sugar 2 tablespoons flour 3 eggs 1/2 cup dark corn syrup Pinch of salt 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/4 cup bourbon 1 cup chopped walnuts 1 cup chocolate chips (or more may also use     half white and half dark chocolate) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cream butter and sugars until fluffy. Add flour and mix until absorbed. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add corn syrup, salt, vanilla extract and bourbon. Fold in nuts. Sprinkle chocolate chips over the bottom of the pie crust. Immediately pour in batter. Bake 40 minutes. Remove from oven and let set before serving. The pie should be chewy but not runny. It may be re-warmed slightly for serving. Served topped with vanilla ice cream or Tangy Whipped Cream. Tangy Whipped Cream 1 cup cream 1 cup sour cream In a cold bowl with cold beaters, whip cream to medium-stiff peaks. Fold in sour cream

Strawberry Cobbler

You'll Need: Dough 1 3/4 cups unbleached white flour 1 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon baking powder 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 6 tablespoons cold butter 3/4 cup milk Filling 1 cup granulated sugar 1/3 cup unbleached white flour 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup water 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 2 quarts strawberries, stemmed, cut in half Topping 2 tablespoons brown sugar 2 tablespoons butter Procedures :To prepare dough, combine flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar in bowl. Cut in cold butter until dough has the consistency of coarse sand (or use food processor). Add milk and gently knead just until a ball is formed. Refrigerate. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine sugar, flour and salt for filling. Slowly whisk in water and lemon juice. Stir into strawberries. Place fruit in 13 x 9-inch glass baking dish. Bake for 15 minutes or until fruit is bubbling. Stir. Tear off 1/4 inch thick, half dollar size pieces of dough; place on top of berries, covering the entire surface. Dot with 2 tablespoons butter; sprinkle with brown sugar. Return to oven, and bake another 30 minutes or until golden brown

Tomato Soup Cake

You'll Need: 1/2 cup shortening 1 cup granulated sugar 1 can tomato soup 1 teaspoon baking soda 2 cups flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon cloves 1 teaspoon nutmeg 1 cup raisins 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional) Frosting 3 ounces cream cheese 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Procedures : Blend shortening and sugar. Mix tomato soup and baking soda together. Add to shortening-sugar mixture. Sift dry ingredients and add to first mixture. Stir in raisins and nuts. Pour into a greased and lightly floured loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour. Frost when cake is cool

Orange Almond Cake

You'll Need: Olive oil to prepare pan 1 cup whole blanched almonds, toasted* 1 cup all-purpose, bleached flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt 4 large eggs, room temperature 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar Rind of 1 orange, finely grated 1/2 cup fresh, strained orange juice 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil Orange Juice Soak 1/2 cup strained orange juice 1/4 cup granulated sugar Procedures : Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Adjust rack to the middle level. Wipe or spray a 9-inch springform pan with olive oil. In a food processor, grind toasted almonds into a fine meal. In a bowl, whisk them together with flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat eggs at medium speed until they become foamy, then slowly add sugar and beat until thick and lemon-colored. On low speed, add flour- nut mix, then add orange rind, orange juice and olive oil, blending just until mixed. Scrape the batter with a rubber spatula into prepared pan and level top. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until a skewer plunged in middle comes out clean and cake begins to pull away from sides of pan. Cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes, then turn out on a rack to cool completely. When cool, transfer to a serving plate right side up. Mix together the 1/2 cup orange juice and 1/4 cup sugar. Poke holes with a fork over top of cake and slowly pour on Orange Juice Soak, then serve. Covered tightly with plastic wrap, the cake will keep well for up to three days at room temperature.